e.g._ the
description of Britain, iii. 49. The only authors to whom he
acknowledges obligations are Nepos (iii. 45) and Hanno (iii. 90).

PERSIUS.

(1) LIFE.

We possess a very full account of the life of Persius, which,
according to the MSS., is taken from Probus' commentary on the poet,
and may therefore be looked upon as trustworthy. According to Probus
(from whom are taken the quotations throughout), he lived from 34 to
62 A.D.: 'Aulus Persius Flaccus natus est pridie Non. Decembr. Fabio
Persico L. Vitellio coss., decessit viii. Kal. Decembr. Rubrio Mario
Asinio Gallo coss.' These dates are confirmed by Jerome.

He was born at Volaterrae in Etruria, and was the son of a Roman
knight who died when Persius was quite young:

'Natus in Etruria Volaterris, eques Romanus, sanguine et affinitate
primi ordinis viris coniunctus. Pater eum Flaccus pupillum reliquit
moriens annorum fere sex.'

'Fulvia Sisennia (his mother) nupsit postea Fuscio equiti Romano.'

After the completion of his early education (for which see _Sat._ 3,
44-51) he studied at Rome, where he came under the influence of the
Stoic Annaeus Cornutus:

'Studuit Flaccus usque ad annum xii. aetatis suae Volaterris, inde
Romae apud grammaticum Remmium Palaemonem et apud rhetorem Verginium
Flavum. Cum esset annorum xvi., amicitia coepit uti Annaei Cornuti,
ita ut nusquam ab eo discederet; inductus aliquatenus in philosophiam
est.'

In _Sat._ 5, 21-24 and 30-51, he speaks in the highest terms of
Cornutus as his guide in life and close friend: cf. esp. ll. 36-7,

'teneros tu suspicis annos,
Socratico, Cornute, sinu.'

Among his other friends were Caesius Bassus (to whom _Sat._ 6 is
addressed), Lucan, Seneca, and his own relative, Paetus Thrasea:

'Cognovit per Cornutum etiam Annaeum Lucanum, aequaevum auditorem
Cornuti. Lucanus adeo mirabatur scripta Flacci ut vix retineret se
recitante eo cum clamore quin illa esse vera poemata diceret, sua ipse
ludos faceret. Sero cognovit et Senecam, sed non ut caperetur eius
ingenio ... Idem decem fere annis summe dilectus a Paeto Thrasea est,
ita ut peregrinaretur quoque cum eo aliquando, cognatam eius Arriam
uxorem habente.'

Persius was a man of considerable means, as is shown by his will and
his landed property:

'Reliquit circa HS vicies matri et sorori; scriptis tamen ad matrem
codicillis Cornuto rogavit ut daret sestertia ut quidam centum, ut
alii volunt ..., et argenti facti pondo